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The Panthers surrendered 30 points and 349 yards in Week 1 as they prepare to play the Buccaneers on Thursday.

Analysis: Carolina trailed 13-0 late in the second quarter despite holding the Rams to 112 yards as all three scoring drives were less than 35 yards. The Panthers forced one turnover and had three sacks and will face a Buccaneers offense that struggled in both areas Week 1 (four turnovers and three sacks allowed). Carolina figures to be a popular defensive choice in Week 2 on a short week of preparation going up against QB Jameis Winston, who threw three interceptions and also fumbled twice Sunday,…read more

Published: Mon, Sep 9 at 2:34pm by Rotowire.comMore news and analysis available atNFL.com

LB Bruce Irvin is battling a hamstring injury heading into Sunday's season opener versus the Rams.

Analysis: The Panthers finished 27th in the league with 35 sacks last season, so missing Irvin would be a blow to an already sub-par pass rush. Carolina otherwise was a middle-of-the-pack group in 2018, finishing 18th in total defense (353.2 YPG), 14th in scoring defense (23.9 PPG) and 14th in takeaways (23). LB Luke Keuchly remains one of the best inside linebackers in the league, but Week 1 is likely a matchup to avoid against a potent Rams offense.

Published: Tue, Sep 3 at 3:18pm by Rotowire.comMore news and analysis available atNFL.com

The Panthers are looking to improve their pass rush in 2019 after finishing 27th in sacks (35.0) last season.

Analysis: Carolina lost Julius Peppers to retirement in the offseason after he racked up 55 total tackles, 16 sacks, 13 interceptions and four forced fumbles over 32 games in his second stint with the club. The Panthers - in their pursuit of creating a pass rush similar to the unit that notched the third-most sacks (50.0) in the league in 2017 - signed former Buccaneer Gerald McCoy in free agency and drafted Brian Burns out of Florida State in the first round of this year's draft. McCoy is a six-time Pro…read more

Published: Tue, Jul 30 at 6:04pm by Rotowire.comMore news and analysis available atNFL.com

The Panthers have forced two turnovers in three straight games. They play the Saints in Week 17.

Analysis: The Saints will likely limit QB Drew Brees' snaps with the No. 1 playoff seed already locked up and instead lean heavily on Teddy Bridgewater. They may also limit RB Alvin Kamara and WR Michael Thomas to just a couple offensive series. Bridgewater is still a quality signal-caller and RB Mark Ingram can handle a full workload, so the Panthers may not be much better off, especially on the road. Frankly, the Panthers have struggled to stop the run lately anyway with at least 115 rushing yards…read more

Published: Wed, Dec 26 at 4:59pm by Rotowire.comMore news and analysis available atNFL.com

The Panthers allow opponents to score on 71.4 percent of red-zone trips, ranking 27th in the league. They play the Falcons in Week 16.

Analysis: The Panthers were lit up for 31 points by the Falcons in Week 2 and only forced one turnover. The Falcons have three skilled wide receivers and RB Tevin Coleman shows occasional explosiveness. Atlanta doesn't offer much in the turnover department, either, coughing up the ball just 15 times to rank sixth in the league. The Panthers should be able to contain Coleman with their seventh-ranked run defense, but the passing game could get out of hand especially with a reasonable possibility of a…read more

Published: Tue, Dec 18 at 6:47pm by Rotowire.comMore news and analysis available atNFL.com

The Panthers rank tied for 24th in the NFL in points allowed (25.5 per game) heading into Monday's game against the Saints.

Analysis: The Saints had a slow start against he Buccaneers last week and scored only 10 points the week prior against the Cowboys, as Drew Brees and the offense seem poised for a breakout effort in the final weeks of the regular season. The Panthers are mired in a five-game losing streak and have only three takeaways in that stretch, two of which came in last week's loss to the Browns. Carolina's strength is their rush defense (97.8 YPG), as they otherwise rank in the middle of the pack in most…read more

Published: Wed, Dec 12 at 7:50pm by Rotowire.comMore news and analysis available atNFL.com

The Panthers have held their last three opponents under 100 rushing yards. They play the Browns in Week 14.

Analysis: Browns RB Nick Chubb only has two 100-yard outings on his resume this year, but he features touchdowns in four straight games. He'll give the Panthers plenty to handle while QB Baker Mayfield continues to light it up with eight passing scores in the last three contests. Mayfield chucked three interceptions in Week 13, but the Panthers don't appear to have the ball hawks to harvest on the rookie's vulnerability with only one turnover since Week 9. The Browns no longer trigger a must-start for…read more

Published: Tue, Dec 4 at 5:24pm by Rotowire.comMore news and analysis available atNFL.com

The Panthers haven't forced a turnover in three weeks. They play the Buccaneers in Week 13.

Analysis: In the two teams' matchup earlier this year, the Bucs started QB Ryan Fitzpatrick. Now, they'll have Jameis Winston under center. Winston provides just as much upside for opposing defenses with a 10:11 TD:INT ratio in six games while adding a fumble as well. Despite their turnover prowess, the Bucs have scored 27 points in all but two games this year and rank first in the league with 454 total yards per game. There's low upside no matter who's under center, and the Panthers don't appear capable…read more

Published: Tue, Nov 27 at 8:19pm by Rotowire.comMore news and analysis available atNFL.com

The Panthers have allowed opponents to score on 81.5 percent of red-zone trips, ranking 31st in the league. They play the Seahawks in Week 12.

Analysis: On the other hand, the Seahawks have been superb in the red zone with a 71-percent conversion rate. Partially due to the Seahawks' commitment to the run -- they rank first in run attempts and last in pass attempts -- they haven't scored over 31 points in a game this season. Nevertheless, they've been quite consistent and rarely turn the ball over with just nine in 10 games. The solid foundation of a defensive barn burner lifts the Panthers D/ST into fantasy contention, but owners shouldn't…read more

Published: Tue, Nov 20 at 8:15pm by Rotowire.comMore news and analysis available atNFL.com

The Panthers allowed 52 points to the Steelers in Week 10. They play the Lions in Week 11.

Analysis: It's hard to put a game like last week's in the past, but the Panthers have a confidence-building opportunity in Week 11. The Lions have been atrocious lately, averaging 15 points per game and turning the ball over seven times over the last three weeks. Their offensive line has hung QB Matthew Stafford out to dry, too, as he was dropped 17 times in that span. The Panthers pass rush is inconsistent, but this outing could help right the ship, especially since Detroit's defense is vulnerable in…read more

Published: Tue, Nov 13 at 8:30pm by Rotowire.comMore news and analysis available atNFL.com

The Panthers have allowed under 250 yards of passing in each of the last three games. They play the Steelers in Week 10.

Analysis: The Steelers rank fourth in the league with 313.7 passing yards per game, and that's partially due to the effectiveness of RB James Conner. He has four straight games with over 100 rushing yards and has more than 55 receiving yards in three of those contests. The Panthers have faced comparable backfields just twice this season -- the Falcons and the Giants -- and allowed over 30 points in each matchup. Yes, they've forced 15 turnovers in eight games, but the floor remains low against an offense…read more

Published: Tue, Nov 6 at 4:28pm by Rotowire.comMore news and analysis available atNFL.com